Trail Blazers beat Suns 114-110 in play-in after clawing back from an 11-point 4th-quarter deficit
PHOENIX (AP) — Deni Avdija scored 41 points — including a go-ahead 3-point play with 16. 1 seconds left — and the Portland Trail Blazers clawed back from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the Phoenix Suns 114-110 in the NBA’s play-in tournament on Tuesday night. Jordan Goodwin drove for a layup to give the Suns a 110-109 lead with 32 seconds left, but Avdija, who also had 12 assists, responded with a physical take to the rim, making a layup while getting fouled and made the free throw for a 112-110 lead.
The Suns had a chance to go back ahead but Jalen Green’s 3-pointer was off the mark. Goodwin grabbed the offensive rebound but was stripped by Matisse Thybulle to seal the win for the Blazers. Portland earned the No.
7 seed in the Western Conference playoffs and will face the San Antonio Spurs in the first round. The Suns will host the winner of the Clippers-Warriors game on Friday. Whoever wins will earn the No.
8 seed and face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the playoffs. The loser’s season is over. The final few minutes were white-knuckle basketball with the lead changing several times.
Jerami Grant — who returned after missing the final seven games of the regular season because of a calf injury — made a corner 3-pointer to give the Trail Blazers a 107-106 lead with 1:54 left. Devin Booker responded with a pair of free throws for a 108-107 lead but Avdija made a finger roll at the rim for a 109-108 lead with 37. 3 seconds left.